240 A HISTORY OF THE PERCHERON HORSE 



greatest sire the breed has ever known, this Brilliant 

 1271 owes no small portion of his success to the fact 

 that he was for 15 years at the head of the Oaklawn 

 stud with access to probably the greatest group of 

 draft mares eVer assembled by one breeder. He was 

 imported in 1881 as a four-year-old, but sired his 

 four greatest sons before he left France. Fenelon 

 2682 (38) and Voltaire 3540 (443) were foaled in 

 1880, and Gilbert 5154 (461) and Briard 5317 (1630) 

 in 1882, before he left France. It is well to note in 

 passing that the arguments of those who contend 

 that young stallions do not beget as excellent prog- 

 eny as mature horses find here a record in direct 

 conflict with their theory. Fenelon and Voltaire, two 

 remarkable show horses and sires, were begotten 

 when Brilliant was but a two-year-old. Seducteur 

 8850 and Brilliant 3d 11116 were sired by Fenelon 

 when he was but a three-year-old. There are no 

 other horses with as great show and stud records as 

 these in all of Brilliant 's progeny. 



Brilliant 1271 came to Oaklawn without any spe- 

 cial flourish of trumpets, but was so good in all- 

 around Percheron type and character that Mr. Dun- 

 ham immediately put him into service with Success 

 452 and Vidocq 483 (732), then stud sires of proved 

 worth. 



In this connection it is of interest to give the first 

 detailed description recorded of Brilliant 1271; it 

 appears in the Oaklawn catalog of 1882 as follows: 



"Black; foaled 1877; imported 1881; weight 1,850; 

 16 hands high. Long and very round body; extra- 



